"if you make a precious environment, then what's inside is precious, too."

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Progress: Home

Gentle readers, today your MatchGirl has a treat for you. Boyfriend has written his first (of many more to come) blog post for A Precious Environment. Enjoy!

Cave, hut, house, apartment, bungalow, mansion, they are all places to live. Human beings need shelter, but shelter alone does not make a home. A home is a place where you feel comfortable, safe, loved, and secure. A home is something we build, though not always with a hammer and plaster (although I am impressed if you can build things). A home is built over time with much more than material goods. Home is something you can take with you - it doesn’t have to stay in the same building or city or state. A little over a year ago I made a big decision. I left my home. I didn’t just move to a new city. I left the place that was my home physically, emotionally, spiritually, you name it. I was the most die hard lover of all things California. I never even thought about living elsewhere. California was my home. Clearly, things change. For many reasons I decided that I would make Brooklyn my new home. I didn’t really know anyone in New York. A very dear friend put me in touch with one of her old friends who happened to not only live in Brooklyn but know most everybody in Brooklyn. I met your MatchGirl and found her very charming and vowed to keep in touch. All of this led to me asking your MatchGirl if she would like to go on a date. The date went well and there were more... Very soon I realized that this was something special and I started thinking about what my life lacked. I had spent some time sowing my oats, then trying to get myself together and progress had been made. But I lacked a home, I wasn’t sleeping in my car or anything (despite your MatchGirl’s suspicions). I just was unsettled. Over a lovely dinner I brought it up what if we were to live together. I was very nervous to bring it up as we had only been dating for a couple of months. She, to my relief, agreed, but you know that. The foundation is down, walls are framed. It will be a while until the home is complete but that’s OK with me.